Chapter 322: Conflicts Intensify
Li Longji knew that Yang Guozhong was whitewashing the situation, but he could only believe it. After all, the world was too big for him to take care of it all, so he could only take care of the present.

Li Longji pondered for a moment and said, "Rice is expensive in Beijing this year. We need to transfer grain from Taicang to sell to the poor at a reduced price."

Yang Guozhong felt a headache when he heard that the court had to pay for it, but he did not dare to go against Li Longji's wishes, and said stubbornly: "I have ordered the Taicang to prepare 100,000 dan of grain to balance the grain prices in Beijing."

"That's great." Li Longji nodded and asked, "How is the exchange of inferior money?"

Li Longji asked this because he had previously issued an imperial decree requiring the government to take out intact coins to exchange for damaged coins circulating in the market.

This move was well-intentioned, but it was a headache for Yang Guozhong.

First, the court did not have enough copper coins. If they took back the bad coins, they would have to look for copper everywhere to recast good coins.

Second, after the imperial court introduced this policy, people with ulterior motives took back the good money, re-minted bad coins, and used the bad coins to exchange for the imperial court's good coins. After the exchange, they minted bad coins again, sucking the blood of the imperial court endlessly.

Third, the imperial court banned the use of inferior coins, which reduced the amount of currency circulating in the market and aggravated the problem of currency shortage. This not only raised the price of copper but also affected commercial development.

Yang Guozhong knew the problem, but it was not easy to go against Li Longji's wishes, so he chose to remain silent.

Yang Guozhong was silent, and so were the others. For a moment the court was completely silent.

Seeing that no one was talking, Li Longji could only start to call out names. He asked Chen Xilie first, "Left Prime Minister, you go ahead."

Chen Xilie was not well versed in financial management and replied, "I have no idea. These matters have always been managed by the Right Prime Minister."

Li Longji didn't know that Yang Guozhong was in charge. It was just that Chen Xilie had been prime minister for so many years but had never made any achievements. In the past, Li Linfu had suppressed him, so it would have been fine for him to perform well. Now Yang Guozhong had only been in office for a short time and was not as strong as Li Linfu. However, he still didn't know the answer when asked.

How can such a person be the prime minister?
Li Longji was furious, but he didn't show it. He just looked at Chen Xilie coldly and asked Yang Guozhong, "Right Prime Minister, you tell me."

Yang Guozhong weighed the issue in his mind.

He needs to make money now. If the money exchange business is not stopped, the court will be drained of blood, business will not develop well, and taxes will not be collected. Then he will be finished.

Therefore, he chose to go against Li Longji's thoughts and said truthfully: "Your Majesty, I think we should stop exchanging money."

Li Longji was startled and asked, "Why?"

Yang Guozhong reported the situation truthfully.

After listening to this, Li Longji pondered for a long time and said, "These are indeed problems, but can we just drag on and not solve the problem of bad money? If this continues for a long time, good money will be hidden by everyone, and all that will circulate in the market will be bad money."

Yang Guozhong had no solution to this problem for the time being, so he could only say: "I think that we should focus on raising food and money and stabilizing business now, and then concentrate on solving the problem of bad money after the border is stable."

"Well." Li Longji had no choice but to agree with Yang Guozhong.

However, he began to miss financial experts such as Li Linfu, Wang Yu, and Yang Shenjin.

However, the nostalgia only lasted for a moment, because he felt that the Tang Dynasty was vast and rich in resources, and there were many talented people, so there must be some capable people.

So he changed the subject and said, "I advocate official education, but now all the people in the prefectures and counties are taking the imperial examinations. How can the court select talents like this? I decree that Qi people in the world are not allowed to take the tribute from their hometowns. They must be students of the Imperial Academy and then take the tribute."

Although Li Longji's order was intended to select talents urgently, it was not a sudden idea.

As early as the seventh year of Kaiyuan, Li Longji issued an imperial decree to select students with "intelligent nature and knowledge" from the prefectures and counties to enter the four official schools as outstanding scholars. It was also in this year that the court stipulated that people were allowed to set up private schools, and those who were willing to study in county schools were also allowed to do so.

In the 26th year of Kaiyuan, Li Longji issued an imperial decree to set up schools in prefectures and counties, popularizing school education at the grassroots level.

In his early years, Li Longji laid a solid foundation for education, but later the court was corrupt and corrupt officials were in power. Many educated people could not enter the court and had to serve under the military governors. Therefore, Li Longji's decree was also an attempt to reap the foundation laid earlier and hold talents in the hands of the court.

But the number of places in official schools is limited after all. Can ordinary scholars really squeeze in?
If they can't squeeze in, it would mean blocking a path for ordinary scholars.

The knowledgeable people immediately heard the problem, but they did not dare to refute it. They all said in unison: "The saint is wise."

……

After the court meeting, all the ministers went home with their own thoughts.

Chen Xilie did not go to the Government Affairs Hall, but went out with the other ministers.

Yang Guozhong was very curious and asked, "Doesn't the left prime minister go to the government hall to handle government affairs?"

Chen Xilie shook his head and smiled bitterly, saying, "My term as the Left Prime Minister should have come to an end. From now on, all important matters of the court will be entrusted to the Right Prime Minister, who will have to work hard."

When Yang Guozhong heard this, he remembered the conversation in the court and understood what Chen Xilie meant. He was overjoyed.

Although Chen Xilie was not well versed in political affairs, he had been the prime minister for so many years after all, and his power was deep-rooted. He had long wanted to fight Chen Xilie off, but he had no plan.

But unexpectedly, Chen Xilie lost because of his own incompetence.

After Yang Guozhong felt happy, he then thought of his many troubles and became worried again.

Li Longji was ambitious and wanted to have fun, fight wars, manage domestic affairs, and gain fame...

Li Longji wanted everything, and he was caught in the middle.

This made him sigh, it turned out that not everyone could be the right prime minister!

But for the sake of power, he has to hold on. If it really doesn't work, then the people will suffer more.

Thinking of this, Yang Guozhong became excited and said secretly: "I not only have to raise money for the war, but also build the Xingqing Palace wall for the saint!"

Having made up his mind, Yang Guozhong exchanged a few polite words with Chen Xilie, said goodbye and left to meet Li Longji.

……

In May, Li Longji still lived in Huaqing Palace.

Yang Guozhong obtained Li Longji's consent and paid to hire 13,000 people in the capital to build the wall of Xingqing Palace and construct tall towers.

In July, Li Longji returned to Xingqing Palace and was very happy to see the wall of Xingqing Palace built by Yang Guozhong. He immediately went to Yuelong Hall to hold a musical banquet to entertain all the ministers.

At the banquet, Li Longji gave Yang Guozhong 1,500 pieces of silk, 1,000 pieces of colored gauze, and 500 pieces of colored satin; gave Chen Xilie 500 pieces of silk, 300 pieces of colored gauze and colored satin each; the rest of the officials of the third rank were given 200 pieces of official silk, those of the fourth and fifth ranks were given 100 pieces of official silk, and those of the sixth and seventh ranks were given 80 pieces of official silk. All the ministers thanked him for the rewards and ended the banquet with great joy.

In August, Li Longji went to the Qinzheng Building to take the examination for the four subjects of the imperial examination. In addition to the policy essay, he was also tested on composing a poem.

In September, Li Longji married Princess Wanchun to Yang Guozhong's son Yang Xun, and married Wei Zhaoxun's daughter and Wei Xianyi's sister to Li Heng's son.

In October, Chen Xilie was appointed as the Prince's Grand Tutor and the Prime Minister was dismissed. The Vice Minister of Culture Wei Jiansu was promoted to Vice Minister of War and co-director of the Secretariat.

In the same month, An Lushan's son An Qingxu came to the capital to offer captives. Li Longji summoned him personally and rewarded him with millions.

(End of this chapter)